Window-cleaner



J. T. PIGGOTT.

WINDOW CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 'I9I9.

Patented Aug. 3, 192ML 'MIIHHHW' "IIIIII xIIIIIIIIIIIII.

mi Oi E] Jaimy zaggZ.

JAMES fr. Y .mercerie or rnmrnnsune, .WEST VIRGINIA.

' .Specification of vIlletters Patent. Y 'Patuted Augglgg' Applicationrled June 9,1919. Sera1\1\To."302,'762.

To all fic/0m t may Concern.' Be it known that L JAMns T. 'lBIGGo'rT, 'a citizen of -the United States, residing. at

Parkersburg inthe county of AWood and State of West `Virginia, El'iaveinvented cer-V tain new and usefulImprovements in Window-Cleaners; Aand I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, 'such ras will enable others skilled inthe art tofwhich it appertains to make and -use the same.

This invention relates to window cleaners, and more specicallyto the class ofy window cleaners whichare attached to oradjacent tothe front window of -a -street car or other conveyance forwiping snow, moisture, etc., from the window, so as to render the transparency of a window 'as near-ly' perfectas possible. y

One object of this invention is tol provide an improved windoweleani-ng ,attachment whichmaybe quickly and easily attached to window sashes Lor frames of different sizes.

Another object isvfto provide an improved device of this character which consists of `very `few and comparatively inexpensive parts, and which is strong, durable --and thoroughly practical.

Another object is to--provide an'improved device of this character in whichr the wiping member effects the wiping operation while moving in each of twooppositedirections.

Other objects andA advantages may become apparent to personswho Vread the'following details of description in connectionfwith the accompanying drawings,in which Figure l is a front-elevation illustrating the general arrangement of parts in connection with a window iframe.l I

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view,the section being ktaken substantially afl/ong line 242 of Fig. l. 'Y

Fig. 3 isa detail in vertical section, the section being taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Figi. g

Fig. a is an end view ofthewiping member or plate detached from all other `elements ofthe device. Y

`Referring tol these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views, and in which a window frame 8 and window pane 4 may be of any well known construction,-

My improved attachment comprises a .pair of guides or` guide' rods 5, fulcrum members-6,a pivot rod?, a wiping'member 8, combined levers and counterweightsjf) and an actuating or lifting element 10.

- In order that this device may be quickly v'rodlmay be flattened and apertnre'd for receiving screws ll 'for'securing this endof and-easily attached to' window sashesgor i i each Vrod to the window. A pair of brackets 12fare securedat convenient positions on-the window, iandeach of these brackets is provided with an aperture 13 fthrough' which one ofthe rods 5` entends, the amount of eX- tension'being inverselyproportional to thek height of the window, it'beingunderstood that vthe 4rods 5 areslidablelongitudinally in the apertures 13, and it should also be understood that the yrods5may turn in the ,-apertures'l3, sof-that theupturned apertured flanges of thebrackets may be secured to the window ina plane different fromthat yin ywhich the flower yflattened ends ofthe rods 5 lie. This feature of the invention providesfor a vwide range of adj ustmentl in lsizes and shapes.A 'Moreoventhe'pivot rod 't' may besuiiicientlylong for-use in connection with the maximum width or horizontal extent of windows to which a device' of this character will 'be attachedv,and the same yis f true of the wiping memberor 'bar yk8.' U'It should be understood, in this connection, that `the wiping member 8 comprises a M -bar having f wiping'- strips or vedges 14 secured thereto by any appropriate means, and` k*that the wiping bar is "formed of a-single relatively thin blank of sheet metal bentalong its longitudinalv center to'form a tubular bearing `15'. Therefore, when' it isi-desired to bearing l5 lor to one ofthe fulcrum members 6 by-any appropriate means `(not shown), so as to lprevent "displacement ofthispivot fro'd.

Each fulcrum member 6 is preferably formed integrally and consists of two tubu-` lar elements crossing one another at right angles, but the hollow portions being offset from one another so that the pivot rods will not interfere with free movement of the fulcrum member along the rod 5 on which it is mounted to slide. Each counterweight 9 is in the form off an arm `which extends radially from the `opposite side of the bearing 15 from the flanges which carry the wiping strips 14, and the flexible actuating element or cable 10 has its ends secured to the respectiveweights 9. rIhe middle portion orn the cable 10 constitutes a handle, and the portions between the middle and ends of the cable pass through openings in the window sash or frame, appropriate eyelets 16 being seated in these openings and surrounding thel portion of the cable which extends through the sash or` frame.

In operating this improved windowcleaning device, assuming that `the wiping member is at its lowermost position, the middle portion of the cable 1Q is grasped and pulled sopas to draw the wiping member upward along the guides 5` Before starting upward, however, the pull of the cable l() overcomes the counterweights, and the upper wiping edge-or strip 14 moves downward and inward against the window i pane, and therefore, it will be seen that the actuating element l0 effects pressing of the wiping member against the window while effecting the upward movement of the wiping member along the guides 5. Then the actuating element 10 is released, the combined levers and counterweights 9 overbalance the wiping bar and cause its lower wiping elge 14; to press against the window and at the same time, the weights 8 facilitate the downward movement of Vthe wiping member along the guides 5.

Although I have described this embodiment ot' my invention very specifically, it is not intended to limit this invention to these exact details of construction and arrangement, but changes may be made within thescope of the inventive ideas, as described and claimed herein.

What I vclaim as my invention is A l. In a window cleaner, a `member comprising a V-bar formed of a single strip of sheet metal and including a tubular pivotbearing extending along the apex of its meeting sides, wiping elements at the free edges of said member, a counterweight secured to and extending radially from the said tubular bearing, means to slidably mount the member inoperative relation to a window, and means for imparting movement to the member. y

2. In a window cleaner, a pair of guides, a pair of fulcrum members mounted Yfor movement along said guides adjacent to a window, a fulcrum-rod extended through said fulcrum members and fixed thereto, a

,wiping member fulcrumed on said ulcrumrod and comprising upper and lower wiping edges, a combined'lever and weight fixed to and extending radially from said wiping member at the opposite side of its fulcrum from said wiping edges and being effective to over-balance said wiping edges and press the lower one of said wiping edges against the window while facilitating the descent of the wiping member, and a lifting cable engaged with said combinedV lever and weight and being operatable to lift the latter and cooperate therewith to press the upper wiping edge against the window while liftin the wiping member.

3. n a window cleaner, a pair of upright guides, a pair of fulcrum members mounted for movement along said guides adjacent to a window,'a fulcrum-rod extending through said fulcrum members and fixed thereto, a wiping member comprising a il-bar including a tubular pivot bearing extending along the apex `formed by its meeting sides, said fulcrum-rod extending through said pivot bearing and constituting the pivot about which saidwiping member is turnable, said,

wiping member comprising upper and lower wiping edges, a combined lever and weight fixed to and extending,radiallyfrom said wiping member at the opposite side of its f ulcrumfromjsaid wiping-,edges and being effective to overbalance said `wiping edges andpress the lower one of said wiping edges against the window while Jfacilitating the descent ot' the wiping edges, a lifting cable engaged with said combined lever `and weight Vand being operatable to lift thclatter and' coperate therewith to press the upper wiping edge against the window while lifting the wiping member. i

4L.' In a window cleaner, a member having a bearingsleeve and arms extending therefrom in diverging relation, wiping elements carried bysaid arms, a counterweight extending radially from ,said sleeve, a slidably mounted pivot rod extending through the sleeve` and slidably and pivotally mounting the member in operative relation to window, and flexible means connected with the counterweight and extended for passage through an opening to the opposite sido of a window from said member. j

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. f v

JAMES T. Pioeorr. 

